I might be moving to Northern Virgina if I get an offer from this company when I go up there. They are offering $80-85K plus benifts. I know homes are expensive, fuel is expensive, and Milk (I love milk) is expensive. I will have to work in Arlington so that is an area where I would have to get to. It is crowded I know but I am willing to commute.
I am just trying to find out if its a good place to raise a family and who is around.
Thanks.
Lorton is a nice area. 2BR apartments are in the 1200 range, for purchase, older townhomes 400000, new ones 800000. But Fairfax makes CLIII a real pain in the culo, so if you want fun toys and can handle a commute from hoodbridge it would be your best bet. Gas is also about 5-10 cents cheaper as you go south. I actually try and fill up someplace between Woodbridge and Manasses.
So did you hear that the towns of Manasses and Dumfries are merging, you would never guess what the name of the new town is going to be:D
Manfries?
I am looking for a real house since i have dogs. I have visited Leesberg and it looks like a nice little town. Maybe south would be better.
Dumasses:cool:
$80-$85K doesn’t go far in the Hampton roads area and REALLY won’t go far in the NOVA area.
C4
80-85K would be great in my book!
I went from 82K a year tax free, 17on 13 off overseas to 54K a year in NOVA.
Money isnt everything, you just have to prioritize and not eat out 4 nights a week. I do most of my shooting at work, so the only real money pit I have is my jeep.
Come towards the Fredericksburg/Stafford/Spotsy are it is a nice area and isn’t as expensive as NOVA and NFA purchases are easy down this way.
I guess I look at it from wanting to buy a nice house and support a family. That kind of salary doesn’t go very far as most basic houses start at around $400k.
C4
That is a good point, Im looking at buying something farther south, or heading back overseas just to get a huge down payment socked away.
A house that in IN or OH is 70-80K is 4-500K here in NOVA
It certainly doesn’t. We’ve been in the same place for 10 years. Always keep in mind what your commute will be like. It will be pretty awful if you are going near the District. Don’t ever count on going anyplace and being alone, or not be crowded. When I first moved here 17 years ago from Texas, I felt claustrophobic, because it was “so crowded.” It was impossible to go to a park or anything outdoors and get away from people. It is much worse now. I’ve gotten used to it, but I think about moving a lot. The rest of Virginia is great, but Northern Virginia is very crowded.
I lived in the VA beach area for many years and made the drive through the tunnel twice a day. I hated that drive so much that when we were looking for a place in Ohio, I wanted to walk to work. Now I have it and only drive about 1-2 times a week. 
C4
30 minute limit with no traffic. That’s my motto. I am near Dulles now and like that area, but that is not too convenient to Arlington. I owned a condo off the Lorton exit before I got married. The I95 commute gets old fast. If you are on shift work like me the commute is not too bad. Manassas is nice in some areas, but also 30 to 45 minutes with no traffic to Arlington. A couple of suggestions are move as close as you can afford and if you are moving into an apartment complex look at the cars parked outside and that will tell you who’s living in the neighborhood. (I looked at an apartment in Annandale years ago and the apartment manager didn’t speak english?) You can also call Fairfax PD and they will give you watered down crime stats of the Fairfax area by zip I believe. I haven’t used that service in years. Good luck.
David
Wow, that thread title threw me off a bit
Everyone thanks for the info. I will have to talk with the folks during my interview about that problem. My house that cost me 163K cost up there 400K. They have alot of benefits as well but that is another thing for the negotiation if and when that happens. I have 4 other jobs in the midwest and 2 in Texas paying around 60-65 so a Cost of Living comparision will be another big study I will have to do.
The big thing about Northern Virgina Area is people with my level of Security Clearence will always have a job. Right now it was a 0% unemployment rate with my clearence.
Scott
this link has a decent tool to compare the cost of living between cities - I found it helpful when I left CO to come to VA 3.5 years ago…
realtor.com salary calculator/city comparison
In addition to the above, I compared everything I could think of (utility costs, home/life/auto insurance, taxes, etc.) before I made the move - I wanted to minimize surprises as much as possible.
The good thing I think I will be able to pull for a full benefits package for over 100K. I just finish my Compensation and Benefits course for my Masters and it is helping alot. I know what to ask for. ALso with other people with my clearence in the area I have talked with them and they said min starting 80K with benefits that go up to 100K. Bonuses, incentive pay, working out pay, etc. Yes some companies are paying people an extra $40 a week just to work out 4 times a week.
Born in NoVa 1958. Pretty nice area until about when I got out of high school and everything seemed to just explode overnight.:eek:
Went progressively nuts. Moved to central MD in late-20’s – not far enough, and definitely the wrong direction! Finally had job offer in central VA in early 30’s and jumped on it. Been here ever since and never looked back…never going back, on any basis.
My two sisters are still up there, and things just continue to get worse. Love them, but hate to visit. Don’t see how they can stand it, but guess they’ve been de-sensitized. I would not be the same person were I still there.
All I can say is it would have to be one h e l l - a - v u job offer to recommend the area to anyone. Other than that - if you want any chance of retaining your sanity - find a home as close to your work as you can possibly ever afford.
But it’s not rape if someone is willing, right?
$400k for a house is a pathetic joke. I’ve spent LOTS of time in NOVA for work, $400k out west will buy you enough land to start your own city, as well as build a nice house with a nice shop, and a nice 1,000 yard KD range! 
But of course, you won’t have all those grooovy inner city people driving around and stealing your stuff. 
Not to mention all of the registered sex offenders within a couple of miles, over 100 of them.