Relocating to DC area ~ Any locals w/ recommendations?

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MdmAcolyte
MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
in Chit-Chat
Who lives in the DC area and can recommend where one should relocate? I have a friend who is going to be in the Falls Church area, with a family of 4... Any help/advice I can pass on is greatly appreciated.

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  • MSmooth747
    MSmooth747 Posts: 55 Member
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    I'm from DC (NW Washington). Falls Church is a nice are of VA.
  • ket_the_jet
    ket_the_jet Posts: 1,257 Member
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    Mad Fox in Falls Church is amazing. Pizza, brewery. Everything is made at the restaurant and as much can be purchased locally is. I don't mean the standard, "organic pepperoni" or something. They actually grind and press the pepperoni in the back. I have mostly positive things to say about the beers as well.

    http://madfoxbrewing.com/

    As for your actual question, you sure left it open to interpretation. What kind of advice exactly are you looking for? Just places to live? Are you looking for your friend? Or for yourself?
    -wtk
  • MdmAcolyte
    MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
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    I am looking for my friend. Places to live with good schools. Of course, restaurant recommendations and things to do are also welcome. :)
  • Angie__1MR
    Angie__1MR Posts: 388 Member
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    I live in Northern Virginia, currently I live in Stafford, which is about 45 minutes south of DC, it's a beautiful area to raise a family. I used to live in Burke (Fairfax County), it's very, very nice, but very, very expensive.
  • EyeLikeTacos
    EyeLikeTacos Posts: 324 Member
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    Who lives in the DC area and can recommend where one should relocate? I have a friend who is going to be in the Falls Church area, with a family of 4... Any help/advice I can pass on is greatly appreciated.

    My advice to you is to ignore everyone who posts a place to live without even considering where you will work.

    I made the mistake of moving to a nice inexpensive place ...where my rent was only $450 with utilities included...but my drive to work was 2.5 hours long... I moved out of that place within 2 months...and I had to pay more in rent with less space...it was the best decision ever because my ride to work was about 30 mins.

    Scope out the commute situation before getting your place to live...

    Stafford is nice and cost of rent is low...but too dang far to drive to DC for work.

    Arlington hands down best place I lived in the D.C area....


    I edited this...realizing you are asking on behave of your friend?

    Do you know what city your friend will work in...if it is indeed Falls Church...then relocating to live there is awesome!
  • EyeLikeTacos
    EyeLikeTacos Posts: 324 Member
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    I live in Northern Virginia, currently I live in Stafford, which is about 45 minutes south of DC, it's a beautiful area to raise a family. I used to live in Burke (Fairfax County), it's very, very nice, but very, very expensive.

    45 mins at 3 in the morning!
  • Angie__1MR
    Angie__1MR Posts: 388 Member
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    I live in Northern Virginia, currently I live in Stafford, which is about 45 minutes south of DC, it's a beautiful area to raise a family. I used to live in Burke (Fairfax County), it's very, very nice, but very, very expensive.

    45 mins at 3 in the morning!


    ^^^ THIS IS TRUE!!! The post above this one is absolutely correct, commute is everything in this area!
  • MdmAcolyte
    MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
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    Yeah, and that's what he's looking at. His JOB will be in Falls Church and we are trying to figure out where he should start looking to live with his wife and 2 teenagers... Tryin' to get a head start on the rat race ;)
  • EyeLikeTacos
    EyeLikeTacos Posts: 324 Member
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    Yeah, and that's what he's looking at. His JOB will be in Falls Church and we are trying to figure out where he should start looking to live with his wife and 2 teenagers... Tryin' to get a head start on the rat race ;)

    OK here is a decent map of the area

    northernvirginiamap.jpg


    Notice where Falls Church is...

    I recommend trying to live there...it's really nice place..but kinda pricey...if he wants a little cheaper...Oakton is cheaper and not too far from Falls Church...If he was single...I'd recommend Alexandria...but I personally would not raise 4 kids there...
    Tysons Corner and McLean are WAYYYY too expensive...the cheapeast two bedroom is roughly $2000 a month in rent.
  • EyeLikeTacos
    EyeLikeTacos Posts: 324 Member
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    If he works on the west side of Falls Church...Chantilly isn't too expensive..and that shouldn't be too far of a commute...probably about 40 mins in traffic
  • ket_the_jet
    ket_the_jet Posts: 1,257 Member
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    For what it is worth, I work in Falls Church and commute from Old Town, Alexandria. It takes about thirty minutes via 395/495.
    -wtk
  • MdmAcolyte
    MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
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    LOL Taco ~ its 4 people (total) and TWO teenagers. :) Thank you for all your comments so far everyone =)
  • EyeLikeTacos
    EyeLikeTacos Posts: 324 Member
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    LOL Taco ~ its 4 people (total) and TWO teenagers. :) Thank you for all your comments so far everyone =)

    WHOA! my bad girl! Mos def consider Alexandria then...There are some good parts and bad parts...but it's a city with a lot of moving parts and stuff for the Teens to do. Getting in and out of D.C is great too.

    Another strategy would be for him to look at where he will work in relation to I-495....

    See that Red red line that starts at the top of McLean and goes down to the bottom of Alexandria...

    So if he is going to work on the inside of that red line...Tell him to look within that red circle to live like Arlington or Alexandria....If he will work in outside of that red line...then look outside like Oakton, Fairfax, and Springfield.
  • shellisugar
    shellisugar Posts: 120 Member
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    I used to live in Falls Church and my mom currently lives in Alexandria. I spent 20 years of my life living in Northern VA.

    Fairfax county has a great school system, lots of shopping, lots of great restaurants (I miss the Pho...can't find it here in MD) and a *kitten* ton of traffic. Where exactly is the work in Falls Church? Off Route 7? Seven Corners Area? Closer to Tyson's? We used to live in Fairview Park which provided great/easy access to 50, 495, Rt. 7 & 66. I worked in Fairfax and my hubs worked in Baltimore (hellish commute). I've been away from that area for a while now (I'm in Annapolis, MD now) but as PPs suggested, going further west (Chantilly) or east (Springfield) is doable as well.

    Where are they moving from? Are they ready for sticker shock????
  • MdmAcolyte
    MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
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    Yeah, the cost of living up there is significantly higher than where they are now, and he's aware of that.

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