Where to move to, outside D.C area?
 

Hi Fodorites,

My husband and I are looking to relocate from Colorado to the D.C area or surrounding areas. He will be working in downtown D.C and I am a high school teacher. Any helpful suggestions as to where would be a good place to live? I have been told that D.C itself is not where I would want to be teaching (too dangerous), and too expensive, but maybe this is not correct. I would be most thankful for any advice!

Regards, Jade

Most important question: How much do you want to spending on housing.

Hi Mike,

Well considering that I am a school teacher (in other words, poor ;) ), as little as we can get away with to live some place beautiful and safe! My husband will be making early 50's. We will be looking to rent, and have a little beagle. :)

I should clarify...we HAVE a little beagle, we aren't looking to produce one!

Housing cost is a major issue here. If you don't want to live in the District, choose VA or MD and live as close to the city as you can afford. I live in Arlington, VA and I really like it, but proximity to public transporation is important to me.

In some ways, a lot matters on where YOU work. It will be easy for your husband to get to work, but you don't want to have to commute very far. Have you started a job search at all???

I agree that inside the Beltway is always better than outside the Beltway. That means Arlington, Alexandria, or Falls Church in the Virginia, Bethesda, Silver Spring, inner PG County in Maryland, or you can live in the city (DC). For a one-bedroom apartment, be prepared to pay $1200. A two-bedroom will be closer to $1500.

BTW, as a teacher, you can expect your salary will be in the low $40,000s throughout most of the DC area, if not higher.

Here are two groups of articles from Washingtonian magazine. These are on Virginia vs. Maryland: http://washingtonian.com/schools/vavsmd.html
And these look at specific neighborhoods: http://washingtonian.com/schools/gre...ly.html#family

I am biased bc I live and work in, and my kids go to school in, Fairfax County, VA. (8 miles south of DC; we are in West Springfield High area, my son attends there as will my daughter) and we specifically picked this area over any other around the Beltway and also within Fairfax Co. for the quality and size of the schools relative to housing costs. We went to 6 areas in Fairfax Co. to visit all of the elementary, middle, and high schools beofre settling on this area. Fairfax County Public Schools are generally excellent:

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/index.shtml

We also love living in the Springfield area. There is a metro stop at Franconia/Springfield w/good parking if one has to commute downtown. And lots of good community aspects (and excellent rec centers w/indoor pools and workout facilities, and parks) here.

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/parks

And while housing costs are high, there are many rentals in the area. Many of my kid's friends are military, and find affordable housing (townhouses and single family) here.

If you're buying, your best bet is buying a town house in Crofton, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. I think you can still buy one for $ 250,000. In Crofton, you are in striking distance of Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis. Route 50 will be your husband's gateway to DC. Living in Crofton, you could get a teaching job in Anne Arundel County, Calvert County or Queen Anne's County. Other jurisdictions will be much more expensive- Montgomery County, MD, Arlington, VA, Alexandira, VA and Fairfax County, VA. Prince George's County, MD has deplorable schools and has some of the worst suburban crime rates in the country so you should not consider buying there. I know, I grew up there and am one of the hundreds of thousands who have abandoned Prince George's County in the past two decades. You will not want to teach there, either.

If you decide to rent, you might want to consider Arlington. You're near subway lines and close to Washington without very many of Washington's problems. One warning for an out-of-towner- developers rule northern Virginia and have overdeveloped it to a great extent. Northern Virginia's traffic problems are nightmarish and probably unsolvable.

But the commute into DC from Crofton is horrendous.

As you can tell, Jade, you've asked a very complicated question. A lot depends on what kind of community you want, how much you want to pay, how much time you want to spend commuting, the kind of lifestyle you want, race, socie-economics. Your best bet is to get more firm on your plans, and then spend time here looking at different parts of town.

I pass by the Crofton/Bowie exit at seven in the morning and there is almost never a back-up. It is usually clear sailing. As a native Washingtonian, I know not to take Route 50 all the way into DC where it becomes the traffic jammed New York Avenue. I cut over to Rhode Island Avenue before I reach the city limits. Rhode Island Avenue is a very fast way to get into DC and most non-natives do not use it to good advantage. However, Jade's husband may prefer to take the subway at New Carrollton, just off Route 50, which will enable him to bypass the city traffic. The subway ride from New Carrollton to Farragut West is a about thirty-five minutes.

But you have to get the Metro early enough to get a parking space, plus you have to drive to the Metro from Crofton. So now the trip is easily and hour. Add to that, Crofton is great if you have children (except for the potentially lackluster schools), but if you are a young couple who wants to take advantage of what DC has to offer, it's a heck of the way out.

This is why it is complicated.

MikeT has it right, you have a lot of considerations. And BTW, Fairfax Co has extremely high property taxes, on cars as well as homes (and everything nusiness-related). I assume you'll do extensive visit to the areas and check schools in person before deciding....

This is actually a very simple question. Simply get a place within WALKING distance of a Metro station ANYWHERE in VA, ANYWHERE in Montgomery County, or any place walking distance to the Cheverly, West Hyattsville, PG Plaza, College Park or Greenbelt stations in Prince George's County.

I would add anyplace within walking distance to ANY Metro station in DC EXCEPT: Potomac Ave, Stadium/Armory, Anacostia, Congress Heights, Benning Rd, Deanwood, or Minnisota Ave.

That's like asking whether its better to live in Cherry Creek, Golden, or Longmont, if you work near Denver's 16th Street Mall!

I came here from Wisconsin to work for the Keddedy Administration and live in Maryland 17 miles from the Capital and almost always worked downtown.

First -- to purchase a "home" (downtown condo or suburban home, it'll cost from 1/2 to one million.

Second: whether to live in VA or MD it does not make a difference. Each have their problems and advantages. [Yes most of DC has a crime problem, and is"old."] While it would be advisable to locate near a subway line (the "Metro") to get downtown (gas, traffic and parking are big problems -- as in any big city) even the "end of the line" parking lots with 2000+ spaces now fill up by 7 am. VA is now the 'hotter" and slightly more expensive real estate market (defense related).

MD has just improved their teacher retirement system (up from 48 to 56%). MD's Montgomery and Howard county's have good school systems. VA's Fairfax Co. is their equal.

For a starter home in an older middle-class neighborhood try Bowie, MD or Springfield,VA. Surely not the ritz, but you'd find people similarly situated to you.

You should look to rent in a Metro (or other public transportation, like VRE)accessible area. For a combined income of under-$100k annually, you can only afford a condo or small townhouse in the DC region. And the housing slowdown is hitting condos and townhomes the hardest (http://www.thehousingbubbleblog.com). One analyst has predicted up to a 20% price decrease for DC area condos. Better to rent (more economical now anyways) than to buy towards the top of a declining condo market. Also, it will give you both time to figure out what area is best for you. It's a great place to live, but housing can be astronomically expensive and the commutes downtown can be worse. Luckily, I can come in late (11 am) and leave late (9 pm +). My husband, on the other hand, leaves the house before 6 am.

I agree with Bardo. I'd add that even Potomac Ave. would be a fine hood these days. Also, there are some places which may not be within walking distance, but a quick bus ride where buses come quickly (like South Arlington)

Jade,

If you want to do some serious legwork, here is the full metro system map with links to area maps around each Metro stop. Just click on a station to get the corresponding neighborhood map.

http://www.stationmasters.com/System...ystem_map.html

Then, print each map, EXCEPT:
New Carrolton
Landover
Deanwood
Minnesota Ave.
Largo Town Center
Morgan Blvd.
Addison Rd./Seat Pleasant
Capitol Heights
Benning Rd.
Stadium Armory
Branch Avenue
Suitland
Naylor Road
Southern Avenue
Congress Heights
Anacostia
These 16 Metro stops are not in good areas.

That still leaves 68 area maps to print out (1 page each).

Anyplace on any of those 68 Metro station area maps would be good places with easy commutes and allow easy access to anywhere else. More important, it allows a life after work.

Guys,

I am THRILLED to read all your thoughtful responses!! There is so much wonderful info here, and it is going to take me a while to follow up on researching all this advice!!! Not a bad problem to have.

As an Aussie girl who just lived for two years in the Rocky Mountains, I'm very excited about living on the East Coast!

We are not looking to buy a place, just rent, and we have no children. We could be sharing one car, which means I would most likely drive it to wherever I end up teaching, and my husband would need to take the train/bus. Hence the info I've been given on Metros will be great!

Not spending hours traveling is a major concern of mine, especially seeing as I presently get home in 5 mins. I know...spoiled!

I am most likely not going to get to go to D.C for more than one quick visit/scout before we have to move. My husband will primarily be scouting out areas. This is why I wanted to do some research from here myself, so I can feel I have more imput in what sounds appropriate.

I am still finishing the school year here in Colorado, so no, I have not begun to look for another job. The link provided to me by emd will be invaluable in researching my next job, however. Thank you very much for that! :)

Once again, thanks for all this info guys, it's hugely appreciated!

If not for your beloved beagle, I would suggest renting near Dupont Circle or Adams Morgan to get a real feel for DC life. At Dupont, you are a ten minute walk to most of downtown Washington, close by a subway, and within a fifteen minute walk to over one hundred restaurants, many of them very fine. Maybe some of the more urban posters at this site can clue you in on how you can rent a place at a reasonable rate and keep a dog in the Dupont area. I do not know whether it is possible. Otherwise, I would suggest Arlington, VA and perhaps renting a house.

Jade, if you have further questions about FFX (Fairfax) co. school areas after researching online, just ask. I love West Springfield Hi, as it is sort of a "normal" school a bit like my own high school (about 2300 students) in tone, atmosphere, academics, clubs, diversity, sports, good community feel, and most important for you, good front office, admin staff, teachers, and principal/VP, guidance, etc. Some of the high schools close to us in Fairfax Co. system are very good schools, but they are diff. because they are combined middle and high (eg. Robinson, and Lake Barddock) which makes them very large. And Lake Braddock was designed when that "open classrm." concept was popular so it has that feature going for it still in many classrm. areas. I know some about the other Fairfax high schools because aside from visiting so many in person before we settled on buying in West Springfield, my son plays three sports and we travel a lot to the other high schools, so I have talked w/a lot of parents and teens about those schools. So ask away, and we could even trade emails through the fodors editors if you have specific questions as you research. I'd be glad to help, as I imagine it is not that easy to figure out the ins and outs from a distance.

Hi GeorgeW,

This may seem like a vague thing to ask, but why would a beagle hinder my living in Dupont Circle? Do you question this because you think she needs a yard? She is only a tiny thing, 20 pounds, so if it is a size issue, I have been told it really shouldn't be a problem to have her in an apartment (although we do currently live in a house). I'm curious as to your thoughts?!?

emd,

That is extremely nice of you, and after some further researching I think I will take you up on that offer. :) I wish I had the luxury (a.k.a money) to make a FEW trips to the area prior to moving, but I highly doubt that that will be possible. At most I'll probably get to make ONE! Thank you!

I don't know what rules apartments have on animals. I would imagine many apartment buidlings will not allow pets due to barking, fleas and smells. For instance, what will your dog do while you and your husband are gone for several hours each work day?

GeorgeW,

I appreciate that you are a man who thinks ahead.
You are correct in that I am sure that some places would not allow pets...Nazis...but our dog does not have fleas, beagles do not smell (a little known fact), and she only 'ocassionally' howls to tell us when she needs something, i.e - her water bowl is empty. :)
I imagine our dog would do what any other dog would do when his owners are at work...sleep! She is currently 10 months old, and stays in a crate for her own safety when we are not at home.

In all seriousness, I do appreciate taking all these things into account, and you could be right, it could limit the places that would take us in! I will have to look into that too! Thanks.

I love dogs. I live on two acres in outer exurbia on Maryland's Eastern Shore and have one dog, two chickens, five new chicks and five wild children. Another thing to worry about is that if you train your dog to urinate on newspaper, there is the problem of staining the floor (after all, dogs make mistakes, too) and having it soak through to the room under yours. Furthermore, as for smell, I meant the smell of dog urine and not your dog. I'm sure your dog smells just fine.

GeorgeW,

You're giving me some serious thoughts to ponder...to be honest with you, I think she's pretty toilet trained now. She would be spending the day in her crate - so she should hold her bladder ok, and doggies don't like to mess up their 'house', so I'm not sure that messes would happen too often, and if it did happen, well there's always that amazing American stain remover that I've discovered! But the urine would go on her crate liner, not the floor.

I live in the DC area and think you are going to be really limited in what you can get for that income (although it's not clear what you expect to spend). A dog will seriously limit what you can rent, most places don't take them, as far as I kinow. A cat limits you a lot, also, but far more apt. buildings will take cats than dogs. I don't know if it's considered very healthy to leave a dog in a crate all day (for the dog, mentally). If the dog barks, it will be intolerable to the neighbors. There are some buildings that take dogs, they feature them sporadically in the weekly apt. rental section in the Post, but you really have to search them out. I think there are websites that help with that, though.

emd:
I went to George Marshall HS in Fairfax County back in the 1970's. We moved from Vienna, Va to NJ many years ago. I'm curious, how is Marshall HS these days? I remember it to be a large school with some racial problems back then, but perhaps that was all schools 30 years ago? AS I said, just curious re. the status of my old alma mater...

I assume your DH works for the Fed'l Gov and has high option (taxpayer supported) health care coverage for all(unavailable to most of us).
Otherwise, the move is financially ill-advised, imhpo.
M

Like tax-supported health care isn't also supported by the taxes that thjose workers pay themselves.

IMO you can ignore the "government-bashing" in the previous thread because when that person wants something the government is "giving away" that person will be the FIRST one in line with their had outstretched.

They'll also be screaming the liudest when "the government" didn't provide something they feel they "deserve."

I'm a bit biased as I've spent a lot of time in Bethesda, but I think it's great. It is a pretty robust rental market as well, but I'm not entirely sure what the rental costs look like.

Intrepid1,
No, as I'm retired, live in MX and am several years away from MC benies.
Contributed 35 yrs max to SSC, so I'll take those at 62 shortly, and spent 11 1/2 yrs commissioned in the USN (8 1/2 active) and certainly paid my dues.
Please post your comparison.
Always want to hear personal data from the greedy.
M

We lived in the Cheverly/Landover Estates area of Maryland and liked it. I worked in the District.