We are planning to work in Washington DC, what would be your preference to live? In Virginia or Maryland.?

Question

We are a couple in our mid 30's and would like to work in DC. But as we have come to know that it is very expensive to live there, so will you please suggest which is a better choice and what are the cost advantages. We want to be a part of good neighbourhood and can compromise in the begining for a rental 2 bed home. Please suggest us some cost effective good areas around to live in Virginia or Maryland which makes it easier to commute to DC also.

Answer 1

I just moved from that Area. My husband and I absolutely loved it there, but we realized that it was hard to get started out there due to the incredibly high cost of living. We knew we were having a baby, so we decided to accept a job transfer and move West. We really miss it though! You will not regret living there. We lived in Northern Virginia, and thus are biased toward it. I highly reccommend VA over MD, having spent ample time in both areas. We lived in the Herndon/Reston area, and it was extremely easy to commute downtown from there. If you ride the Herndon/Monroe Park and Ride for $1, you can be dropped off at the West Falls Church Metro (the ride takes about 15-20 mintues, verus 40 plus if you were to drive.) Then you can easily ride the Metro into the city. The bus is clean, and almost all of the riders are professionals commuting into the city. I also liked the Herndon/Reston area because of it's easy access to the Dulles Toll Road and 66. It is only about 30 mintues from DC without traffic (which means, on the weekends.) A lot of people also like the Centreville area, which has some nice neighborhoods that are affordable. It is also near Clifton, which is a very very nice and expensive area. The commute is not quite as easy or fast from Centreville. Lastly, I have to put in a plug for Arlington, which I love. It is directly outside of the city, minutes away. The Courthouse, Ballston, Rosslyn areas are my favorites. It is expensive to buy there, but not so bad to rent. It is very chic and classy, with lots to do. It has the feel of the city, without all the city drawbacks. Many of my coworkers lived in the Springfield and Alexandria areas. I didn't like it over there quite so much and am not positive about the housing costs.

If you want to go a little bit more far out, and suffer the consequences with a longer commute, you could look into the Ashburn/Leesburg area. There is a ton of growth up there, the housing is a bit more reasonably priced. It is also beautiful up there, and close to the Leesburg outlets, which are very good, and Wegmans (THE BEST GROCERY STORE ON EARTH.)

As for Maryland, Bethesda is nice, but really pricey. I would stick with Montgomery County if you want to look up there. I really just didn't enjoy Maryland quite as much as Virginia in the long run. Good luck!

Answer 2

I am 38 and my husband, daughter, and I bought a home several years ago in Alexandria. It IS very expensive but depending upon your job and salary, it is all relative. The commute, however, is going to be awful no matter where you live, although, I would not recommend - like the person above did, to live in DC. I think it is more expensive to live there than anywhere, the taxes are outrageous. I would rent, as you said, until some of the prices come down, and they will. A lot of my friends live further out, like in Fredericksburg etc. and commute to DC and Alexandria. There are many jobs with flex time and or remote working for a few days a week depending upon what you do and for those, I might suggest living further out.

However, living near a metro station may help. There are so many ways to get into DC and if it is going to be tough you may as well be able to read the paper while you are commuting!

I grew up in Springfield Virginia and have lived in this area for 31 years. West Springfield is a great place to live and still safe, some other parts of Springfield are not. If you are planning on starting a family, Fairfax County has one of the top school systems in the area and there is no need for private school or that additional cost.

I have never had a strong opinion of Maryland and wouldn't live there unless I could afford to live in Bethesda or the likes. It is a trade-off in costs because VA has high personal property taxes (which you wouldn't have except for your car at first) but MDs sales tax is higher so day to day is more costly. I have always thought that VA was crime-statistically safer as well.

Anyway, there is my two cents. Good luck to you. I have a love-hate relationship with this area because I grew up here but I hate the traffic and you judge everything by time, not distance when you go anywhere! But having the museums and the Kennedy center and all the festivals that DC close by (but not affecting you every day with the road closures etc.) is one incredible advantage.

Take care! - Rebecca

Answer 3

This is probably too tough to answer given the information you have provided thus far. Washington, DC is a very expensive place to live, and everything within an 'easy' commute that is 'safe' is also pretty pricey. I've lived in DC, VA, and MD and each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Unless you are coming from a high property value area (i.e. you have some cash from the sale of a previous home) you are going to be forced to rent, and then it would probably be a good distance away from the center of the city.

I think the real answer will come when you know better where your job will be located. The Beltway around DC is 64 miles, so you can see even living on one side and working on the other would be quite a hike. After you settle on where your job will be, you can narrow it down to a city or neighborhood that has the amenities and services you prefer at a price you can afford.

Answer 4

Monuments and memorials, modern neighbourhoods, true local taste this is exactly what Washington, DC is; a place unlike every other; just like this page hotelbye . Washington it's your house overseas with free museums and America's front yard. Washington is recognized around the world as a symbol of the United States. Here, the place you cannot miss may be the Capitol. Capitol is the seat of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The huge dome, based on the dome of St. Peter's in Rome, stands apart most importantly different Washington buildings. Like Washington it self, the building has grown over the years considering that the central part was built between 1793 and 1812. The past improvement, in 1958-62, increased the key façade wherever presidents get the oath. On another part, a marble terrace offers wonderful opinions over the mall and the city. The inner is resplendent with frescoes, reliefs, and paintings, especially the rotunda underneath the good cast-iron dome with a threshold painting by Constantino Brumidi and huge paintings of views from American record on the walls.

Answer 5

If you're hoping for an easy commute, stick with places that have ready access to the Metro - it's much less of a hassle than trying to fight traffic all the time. If you're not intimidated by a longer commute, consider living in or near Baltimore. It's considerably cheaper and has major city advantages, and there's a commuter train into the city that runs well. You'd be looking at a 60-90 minute commute each way, which honestly isn't that much more than what you'd spend taking the Beltway out to some suburb in NoVA.

Answer 6

We used to live in Calvert County MD and loved it there. It is a really nice pretty area with low crime and good house prices. It is right on the Chesapeake Bay. It is probably a 30-45 minute commute to DC, but well worth it, and the drive is not near as bad as some of the other congested areas. Chesapeake Beach is a nice area.

Answer 7

I'd live on the VA side. Taxes are lower there than in Maryland. I think your commute will be bad no matter what, however. I would try to locate near public transportation if you have to commute into DC or the immediate area where the Metro (subway). There are no real "cost effective" places to live.

Answer 8

I grew up in MD and lived in N-VA for about 6 years before moving back. Both have their good and bad points, my suggestion is find a good realtor who's willing to work with you, there are MANY who are licensed in both MD and VA. There are lots and lots of great neighborhoods in this area so don't be afraid to look on both sides of the Potomac, but keep in mind prices jump significantly when you're looking inside the beltway. One thing in MD's favor and a major reason I moved back is that they have an excellent 1st time home buyers program (it's called the CDA). Good luck.

Answer 9

I used to live in the DC area, and although there are both nice and lousy places in MD and VA, as a general rule I would recommend VA over MD. The crime rate tends to be lower and the neighborhoods nicer.

Your commute will suck either way, and the only way you will get "low cost" is the DC area is to live in the ghetto.

Answer 10

I would say VA over MD..I live in Va and I think its nicer than MD..But the traffic is kinda bad around here, I would say look around woodbridge,bealeton,warrenton, front royal,marshall..All these are in VA