Moving to Washington DC

[UKHeckler]

Hi - I was recommended this forum by my friends on UK based Singtrackworld.com. I am probably relocating from the UK to work in Washington DC. I am not a city lover and so am looking around for a nice town from which I can get to Dulles airport and into the centre of town (have to be in office once or twice a week). The rest of the time I can work from home. I am a mad keen MTBer and skier. From the map places like Winchester to the west of DC look OK?

Where else shoudl I consider? I have a young family so will need a school.

Many thanks! Rich

[halfinch]

if you're big into skiing, i'd aim towards germantown-montgomery county area. You can get west and north to the larger resorts (excluding snowshoe). as for trails -some trails locally, gambrills to the west. winchester would make for a long commute to dc, which could take upwards of three hours on any given day. great area, can't tell you about the schools.

i'm in farifax va, and like the location immensely- but my commute is 4 miles, my wifes a mere 1/2 mile. the schools that my children attend are competent with plenty of amentities. house prices are obscene, and that may also present a challenge for you.
we have friends that live in haymarket and travel upwards of an hour each way to get from there to fairfax everyday- so you'll need to factor in what's an acceptibe commute.

just re-read the need to be near/convenient dulles - ashburn could be an option for you. still a challenge to dc, but far shorter than winchester.

come on out to some of the MORE group events when you're here.

[Dirt]

Good Morning, Rich.

Places like Winchester are wonderful. The difficult part would be the commute in to work a few days per week. A friend that I work with lives in South Riding (just west of Chantilly, Virginia). On a good day, he is in the car for 1 hour 40 minutes. Yesterday it took him 2:30 to get to work. Winchester is another 45 minutes further out.

Housing prices are very high in this area. They have gone up dramatically in the last few years. Unfortunately, the closer to downtown you are, the higher the prices tend to be.

The balance is difficult to strike sometimes. If you need to commute into downtown DC, you might want a place that is a little closer in.

I'm sure others will chime in to help.

Welcome to the area.

Pete

[Snot-Rocket]

Argh, here be a hidden Gem for your needs, check out Springfield, VA on http://maps.google.com/

You'd be close to Wakefield/Accotink Park and the Cross County connector- if you be a roadie you could partake in the pelotons that whip through the neighboring communities that launch out of Wakefield Park.

Per your requirements, you are 25mins from Dulles w/out Traffic, 45 with...and about the same to the Center of DC- plus, there are myriads of alternate routes to get everywhere.

Rah,

[UKHeckler]

Thanks guys. I would be looking to rent a property as the move is for 3 to 5 years. I could easily afford $1,500 per month for rent. Is that enough to live in the places you talk about?

[Snot-Rocket]

Thanks guys. I would be looking to rent a property as the move is for 3 to 5 years. I could easily afford $1,500 per month for rent. Is that enough to live in the places you talk about?

http://www.forrent.com/search/?google=1188&qw=apartment+finder&kwcmp=KNC-Google

If you are single- it would be great to find a roommate or someone renting a room- it be expensive in these parts...

[ShivaSteve]

I'll put in a vote for the Gaithersburg/Germantown area in Maryland. Traffic and sprawl are better than in Northern Virginia, and we're more liberal to boot ;)

Seriously though....I have 25+ miles a local single track out the door (Great Seneca, Schaeffer Farms-Hoyles Mill-Black Hills) and fantastic road rides in western Montgomery County. The more technical riding at Gambrill and the Watershed is 45 traffic free minutes by car, and its a straight shot to the ski resorts. My commute by bus and train to downtown DC is generally 1hr 15 min, but I wouldn't trade it to live anywhere else in the area. Oh and fantastic schools (as public schools in America go.)

Once you narrow your options let us know and I am sure people can give you advice about specific neighborhoods, etc. To house your family comfortably for $1,500, you will have to be rather out in the suburbs, but its doable.

[TrailVictim]

UKHeckler check your PM's

[dmofot]

I don't know, for once I've lived in a place for more than a year, but my rent is less than $1500/month. That's in Falls Church (Pimmit Hills neighborhood) on the McLean line for a 3 bedroom house and 1/3 acre of land. Maybe I got lucky though.

DT

[jks9199]

Thanks guys. I would be looking to rent a property as the move is for 3 to 5 years. I could easily afford $1,500 per month for rent. Is that enough to live in the places you talk about?
With the way housing prices have gone up around here -- you just might want to consider buying even though it's "only" 3 to 5 years... You just might find yourself in possession of a nice little "bonus" when you go back home from the sale of the house!

As to places to live -- Prince William County, Virginia isn't terribly expensive, and it's a little closer to DC than Winchester. Fauqier County is a little further west -- meaning longer commutes when you have to go in.

I'd check with folks that you'll be working with/for about ideas, because your working from home may have requirements (broadband/DSL access for example) that may limit your choices.

Jim