Alexandria, VA - the place for us?
 

We have the possibility of moving to North America from the UK in the next few months. Work is fairly relaxed about where we are based but we would need to be reasonably close to Atlanta and ideally on the East Coast for shorter flights back to the UK for family trips.

We have 2 young children and would like to be in an old town community where we can still walk to shops, schools, parks, have a neighbourhood, etc. and have interesting excursions at the weekends.

We have only visited Alexandria once and that was 7 years ago but we liked it then. Dulles airport presumably would be good for getting down to Atlanta and back to the UK.

Anyone have any knowledge or views? Other city suggestions are also welcome.

Thanks.

My daughter lived there and also in Falls Church nearby for several years. Now she and her husband and new baby live in nearby Arlington which is a little bit less expensive. She has really enjoyed these areas. They would all fit your description- walk to parks, shops, library, church, school, etc. If you would like to ask her some questions, post your email. I am actually going to visit her next week.

I live near Old Town Alexandria. You can get to Atlanta from NAtional Airport much easier than Dulles. If you live near old Town, NAtional airport (code = DCA) is a 15 min. drive, or just a few short stops on the metro, with a stop at the airport.

Yes, you can walk to parks, shops, restaurantas etc. in Old Town. But you need to check out the schools there very very carefully and thorourghly though. If you don't like the public schools there, there are several private school options (Alexandria Country Day, Grace Episcopal where my kids went to elementary, St. Stevens St. Agnes, also Episcopal and which has three campuses near there for elementary, middle and high school, and Blessed Sacrament which is Catholic) on Russell Rd. and Braddock Rd. just outside of and very close to Old Town.

Also, St. Mary's (Catholic school) right in Old Town

And you need to realize that living in Old Town in Alexandria is very expensive.

Mike is right. We lived in Rosemont, just on th eother side of the King St. Metro from Old Town and it was VERY expensive. In Old Town proper there is only street parking also, a major drag. But our friends who love the lifestyle and can afford the nice areas of Old Town love it and wouldn't leave. You can live just outside of Old Town, eg. 3 miles out in the Franconia area of Northern VA., for alot less. Schools are much better there. That is where we moved when we left Rosemont. But you lose the "walk to everything" that you seem to want...

And now we live in West Springfield, a 20 min. drive to Old Town, with excellent schools. The further you go away from Old Town into Northern VA the better the public schools are, but the more suburbanized it is. It's a trade off.

Arlington is definitely cheaper than Alexandria, has good public schools- some of the best in the US, I've been told, and it is still very walkable. It is quite close to Alexandria.

Generous George's still open? =P~

I could go for a Lb of pasta, meat balls the size of my head and a few schooners of beer...and for the main course....:@)

Hi Trilogy, things have changed alot in D.C. since you visited seven years ago; in short, housing prices have skyrocketed (to the benefit, of course, of some of us and to the detriment of others); if your children are of school age than you have a much trickier decision than if they are preschool, as school issues in D.C. are not easy; you mention Dulles, but Alexandria is much closer to National.

I live in D.C. itself and walk to shops, parks, etc. and never fight the traffic of Northern Virginia. Because D.C. is such a large metropolitan area you are actually asking a gigantic question that I think is best answered by a personal visit.

good luck

Mary

Alexandria would be great for you. Even more "trendy and spendy" is Georgetown which I'm sure you are familiar with.

Have you ever considered Charleston, SC? When you said "walkable city" and "easy access to Atlanta" it immediately came to mind.

You could just live in Atlanta. Then there would be no commute to get there. BA and Delta have nonstops from ATL to Gatwick, not much longer than the nonstops from Dulles (maybe 1 hour longer). Connecting flights would add 4 hours.

mrw, you are so practical. I mean that in a very good way.

Hi e. I have my moments. I miss Tachibana.

Been waiting for you to say how it is really going there. Not surprised you miss the old homestead a bit. No good sushi bars close to the new place there?

Thanks for all the replies. The hard thing is with young children and at such a distance we shall probably have to plump to live somewhere without checking it out first so thanks for your information.

We spent a month in Atlanta last year and it didn't appeal which is why we're not considering it. It didn't offer the 'town' atmosphere we are after for a permanent place to live. I'm also envisaging trips to the museums in DC at the weekends, trips to the beach, etc. by being based in Virginia.

Our children are 3.5 and nearly 2 so public schools are not an important factor at the moment. (I presume elementary schools aren't so bad?) I'm looking at things to do with them during the day, hence the need to be able to walk to local activities, shop, etc. If we are still in Alexandria when they reach school age we could look again at where we are based if it is an issue.

We would be renting so I will need to check out the house prices. Housing is ridiculously expensive here in the UK so it can't be much worse. Any examples of prices for a 3/4 bed - to buy or rent?

I shall look at Arlington; Georgetown too. We didn't visit either place on our visit 7 years ago (we were staying with a friend in Alexandria).

Interesting about National airport - thanks for that info.

Saraho - thanks for the offer of asking your daughter further questions. I may take you up on that when we are a bit further on with our plans.

trilogy, I hear you about your kids being young now and you'll worry about schools later. I felt the same way 12 years ago. It was not possible for me to know how to evaluate a school when my kids were so little, so we moved where we wanted to regardless of schools. Then a few years later we woke up about the schools and decided to stay put and put the kids in private schools for a few years. Then a few yrs later we moved to the better public school area. But it was an evolution, as our kids got older and we could figure out what was best for them regarding schools.

I'm not sure Arlington is going to give you taht "walk to everything" feel you want. It won't give you the old charm that Old Town has. Goergetown is more likley to have that for you, but then you are living in D.C. proper, which is a whole other world from VA. across the river. My usband lived in Goergetown when I met him. Georgetown can be lovely but it also has its problems. And no metro stop there.

Be aware that it is very very difficult to find a realtor who will help you w/rentals in these areas, or even give you info. When it comes to rentals, you are pretty much on your own. When we rented around Old Town I had to get the paper at 5 a.m. and start calling people advertising rentals every day. You'll have lots of competition for the housing and townhouse rentals. Maybe not so hard in traditional apartment buildings.

Regarding schools, I agree with you, Trilogy, that it is not as big an issue since you will be renting. If/when you decide to buy, then you'll need to know what your plan is with schools.