Re: South Riding
Posted by:
Bob in Southeast Loudoun
()
Date: November 03, 2011 12:47PM
Ogie33 Wrote:
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> I have been in the market to purchase a new home
> and will likely purchase in the 1st half of 2012.
> Our preference would be to stay in Fairfax County
> where we are currently renting in Centreville. We
> looked quite a bit over the summer and the homes
> we liked were just out of our price range (we had
> been focused on looking in Little Rocky Run in
> Clifton). We (wife & 2 kids, with a planned 3rd)
> initially were looking at homes in the $500k range
> with a 20% downpayment. We're approved for up to
> $520k but I don't want to be house poor so we've
> scaled it back to around $475k. The more and more
> I thought about it though we came to the reality
> that $500k doesn't go a long way in Fairfax County
> unless you want a smaller house that hasn't been
> updated in years. I like a big yard as much as the
> next family, but I don't want to have to spend all
> weekend maintaining it. Something simple for the
> kids in order to setup a swingset is fine by me.
>
> We had considered South Riding several times in
> the past considering it's close proximity to
> Centreville along with getting a little more value
> for the money. In hindsight I wish we had at
> leasted rented in SR to get the lay of the land to
> determine if we wanted to stay long term. We
> always shyed away though because I commute daily
> to NW, DC (25 miles each way door to door) for my
> job where working from home is never an option. My
> hours are flexible however as I currently am able
> to commute from Centreville starting at 9am and
> get to my office by 10am. I never leave between
> the hours of 7am-9pm because all it takes is an
> accident or rain to delay my arrival to work at
> 10am anyway. Anyway I usually work until 7pm then
> it takes be about 30-45 minutes to get home. As my
> children start elementary school I am going to
> have to go with an earlier schedule like
> 6:30am-3:30pm in order to handle more of the
> parenting duties.
>
> While I realize metrorail is coming to Loudon and
> the widening of 50 is starting these really won't
> have any sort of effect or benefit for a few more
> years, especially Metro.
>
> So we're back to considering South Riding because
> the homes are more affordable, seems to be a
> magnet for familes and their just isn't much out
> their on the home market in the Centreville or
> surrouding areas. Yes I realize that the builder
> quality of new homes in recent years has been put
> into question and their are a lot of folks under
> water in their current homes in SR. We would
> consider both new homes and homes a few years old.
> I also realize that taxes are more in Loudon as
> well but it seems the schools are on par with FFX
> County. Bottom line is that I don't want to be
> house poor. I want to be able to contiue investing
> in things like my retirement and kids college
> funds, vacations, etc. Eventually my wife will
> return to the workforce as well once the kids are
> in school full time.
>
> So tell me, where in SR should we consider? My
> understanding is that SR is boxed in between Rt.
> 50 and Braddock road north to south and Pleasant
> Valley and Gum Springs east to west. Is the 4 way
> stop sign at Braddock and Pleasant Valley that bad
> in the morning for folks trying to get to
> 29/50/66? I can tolerate plane noise just fine
> considering having lived in Centreville. It's just
> the traffic noise that gets to me and considering
> the size of SR I assume it will not be a problem.
>
> Spare me the milf, lonely wives and SR Inn swinger
> jokes.
>
> Thanks in advance for input and feedback.
the SR market should be good now with the new houses coming on line along Tall Cedars Parkway providing competition.
I live off Poland Rd. I leave the house three days a week around 7:10 and two days around 6:20. Early is better, of course. I drive 50 to 66 to the Vienna Metro, but you can't do that unless you start leaving earlier, because you can't get a parking space after 9 unless you spring for one of the premium spots that are saved until 10 am.
Have you also considered Brambleton and Stone Ridge? Both are growing massively. Might as well throw in Kirkpatrick Farms as well, which is just past SR on Braddock, and is also booming.