Hello,

I will be moving to Fairfax County to work for DISA on the Leesburg Pike. I have several questions that hopefully some locally experienced people can answer. Feel free to email me.

1. Where are the best elementary schools in the area?

2. I am looking to rent just a room in a private home for about six months until I buy a house. What is the best area to live and where can I find such listings?

3. What is the best county to live in, generally speaking, when considering schools, taxes, lifestyle, crime, etc.

4. HAs anyone considered living in Maryland?

1. Generally most schools in Fairfax are pretty good by national standards. There are flops here and there, but probably no worse than the average. It's been so long since I've been in elementary school I couldn't really tell you what's good, but western fairfax is probably your best bet.

2. I'm partial to Reston, Herndon, McLean, Vienna and places like that.

3. Every county has thier foibles, but Fairfax or Loudoun are where I would live.

4. I may find myself moving to Maryland in the next year or so, and I'm not too enthused about it. Mostly because I like Virginia more, but also because Maryland has more ghetto pockets, especially in Prince George's county. If you're working in Virginia, I'd live in Virginia. The traffic here will kick your ass, so you might as well as be as close as possible.

Mudpie Wrote:
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>
> 1. Where are the best elementary schools in the
> area?

I'm assuming you aren't a millionaire. Fairfax County is extremely expensive in general. The most affordable areas with decent schools include Chantilly and West Springfield. Considering where you are working, you may want to look at South Riding in Loudoun or at Ashburn in Loudoun.


> 2. I am looking to rent just a room in a private
> home for about six months until I buy a house.
> What is the best area to live and where can I find
> such listings?

No idea.


> 3. What is the best county to live in, generally
> speaking, when considering schools, taxes,
> lifestyle, crime, etc.

They are all expensive. You need to think in terms of commute and schools. A ten mile commute in the DC area is NOT like a 10 mile commute in the Midwest. You could easily spend half an hour or 45 minutes in traffic to go 10 or 15 miles. I would suggest focusing on east Loudoun County and West Fairfax County.

> 4. HAs anyone considered living in Maryland?

Montgomery County is extremely expensive and, as another poster mentioned, has pockets of ghetto. Not sure where you are working on Leesburg Pike, but you might want to think about Frederick, Maryland. You can cross into Virginia at the Point of Rocks and avoid the Beltway, which is a nightmare at rush hour. Frederick is also more affordable than Montgomery County.

Hope this helps.

Well, I was born and raised here in Va.,moved to West Springfield in 1969. Been here ever since. Fairfax County schools have ranked in the top 5 school districts in the nation for at least the last 10 years or more. I would recommend the Springfield area based on where you will be working. Rents for housing vary wildly so take care in your searching. Reston and Herndon IMnsHO has a "we are holier than thou attitude" and it is pricey on living arrangements. Also their Home Owner Associations are VERY restrictive about what you can do to a house you OWN. Such as upgrades, additions, even just changing the front door on your house usually have to be approved by the association.

Again IMnsHO I would stay the hell away from Maryland,,,

"Reston and Herndon IMnsHO has a "we are holier than thou attitude"
Damn right.
Stay the fuck out and keep your ass in Ghetto Springfield.

reston has plenty of bad areas

stonegate? southgate sq.? Winterthur? crap ghettos compared to the rest of the area. Not that ANYTHING off of glade, north of the parkway, is worth talking about.

And Herndon? Anyone heard of Alabama Drive? Especially behind Dulles Park Shopping Center, but the area between van buren and elden st is no disneyland, unless you can get whores, guns and drugs at disneyland now.

I like homeowner's associations. They keep all the pink flamingos and inoperable cars out of sight. Springfield was aesthetically pleasing in maybe, say,....1969. Who the hell wants to live in a 60-year-old house with a rusty chain link fence anyway? Don't get me started on Springfield Mall either. -§

RESton Peace Wrote:
, but the area between van buren and elden st is no
> disneyland, unless you can get whores, guns and
> drugs at disneyland now.


Easily the best quote on FairfaxUnderground in ages. Even if you are a tool, RESton Peace, you are a funny one.

RESton Peace Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And Herndon? Anyone heard of Alabama Drive?
> Especially behind Dulles Park Shopping Center, but
> the area between van buren and elden st is no
> disneyland, unless you can get whores, guns and
> drugs at disneyland now.

havent been to disneyland in a while i see.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Mudpie - Please promise me you won't move to Maryland. Just check www.nbc4.com or www.wtopnews.com. My Virginian co-workers and I joke about the "Maryland Horror of the Day." Every day there is a murder, kidnapping, apartment fire, fatal car accident, car jacking, or molestation. Every single day, so help me God. Virginia's not perfect, but it sure beats the hell out of Maryland.

345 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Reston and Herndon IMnsHO has a "we are holier
> than thou attitude"
> Damn right.
> Stay the fuck out and keep your ass in Ghetto
> Springfield.

you will have to do much better than that biyotch ;-)

But seriously, Prince Georges County (Maryland) is locally considered an oasis in the DC area. Great schools, low crime rate, courteous people. It's the rare kind of area where one can safely leave their door unlocked at night. Plus the commute into Fairfax County is a breeze. Somehow PG County has managed to retain that southern charm. All in all you'd be hard pressed to find a better place to raise your family.

Just look in the yellow pages and find a realtor who works in the county. I'm sure they can hook you up with a nice home.

Been hunting for a long time, MD and VA - Reston, Federick, Germantown, Centreville, Fairfax, etc.., and finally found the right place in Ashburn. MD has better prices, but older homes, and ghettos, like they say. The only thing that really bothers me about VA versus MD, is the amount of strip malls and development. MD seems more natural - if that is one of your concerns.

One town I did like a lot in Fairfax is Burke - very natural with lots of trees and less traffic than the rest of Fairfax.

NumNut Wrote:
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> But seriously, Prince Georges County (Maryland) is
> locally considered an oasis in the DC area. Great
> schools, low crime rate, courteous people.

Tell me this is a joke. Every night's top news story is out of PG.

yeah... PG County should be renamed Murder County. i say we MOAB it and rebuild. but seriously, PG County is a hell hole... that guy is screwing with you.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

>
> Tell me this is a joke. Every night's top news
> story is out of PG.


I'm fairly confident it is a joke. And a rather sick one, at that.

No, it's no joke. Clearly these guys in fairfax are trying to inflate their property values even more by creating an artificial demand. Take it from someone who knows, PG COUNTY > FAIRFAX

you must be on several of the many fine narcotics one can obtain on most corners of PG county.

Even you know that it's virtually impossible to obtain narcotics in PG county..Fairfax on the other hand, well..some things are better left unsaid

As someone who lives in a rented apartment, I fail to see where I would benefit from inflated property values.

Well, it would keep FMV's of the housing lower on a macro scale..

Even you said it your self, top news every night comming from PG county..Stellar Schools, Community Events, etc

cant get narcotics in pg? aha k

ECON,
  please kindly shut the fuck up. you got your attention so now you can just be quiet. stop being an attention whore.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

I believe Mudpie has decided to seek employment in Naperville, IL.

Woodbridge is the closest and most economical area to live. Very nice area as well.

Mudpie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello,
>
> I will be moving to Fairfax County to work for
> DISA on the Leesburg Pike. I have several
> questions that hopefully some locally experienced
> people can answer. Feel free to email me.
>
> 1. Where are the best elementary schools in the
> area?
>
> 2. I am looking to rent just a room in a private
> home for about six months until I buy a house.
> What is the best area to live and where can I find
> such listings?
>
> 3. What is the best county to live in, generally
> speaking, when considering schools, taxes,
> lifestyle, crime, etc.
>
> 4. HAs anyone considered living in Maryland?


He moved to a townhouse in Loudon County - Paid $550,000 in 2006 now it is worth $125,000

I did not see it posted and saw a lot of posts referencing Leesburg Pike and east Loudoun County. DISA is on Leesburg Pike is in the Bailys Crossroads area - far eastern Fairfax County. I would not live in Loudoun unless you wanted a commute from hell.

Are you Rich? I would look at Arlington or Alex City. In Fairfax County I would look at some parts of Springfield, Lorton, and maybe Fairfax city.

Hey, DISA, this thread is from 2006. They've probably found a place by now.

shelly Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey, DISA, this thread is from 2006. They've
> probably found a place by now.


Actually no I haven't yet. Still looking.

Move to MD if you want your daughter to have a nigglet.

@ OP

In answer to your 2nd question, the major RE agencies do rentals, single families or townhouses. But single rooms ... nope. Long & Foster or Coldwell Banker. Does Weichert still exist? It's been 10 years since I've worked with a Realtor.

Another possibility for "just a room" is senior citizens who own homes could use some financial infusion from a clean, quiet responsible tenant with Federal bona fides. You might find them at local government Senior agencies or county government senior centers. Or various churches, most of which are graying.

Use your information / research acumen to get details.

If you like heavily urban and you are fervently liberal, you'll like The People's Republic of Arlington County. North of Route 50 is more upmarket, more single family homes. South (22204/22206) is a younger crowd and more attached housing.

If you want a less crowded more suburban experience with an (arguably) higher standard of living, Oakton, Vienna, Burke, West Springfield.

Running an automobile is a horrible expense, unless you absolutely must own one.