DC is a great town with really fantastic public transportation. Probably the most Europeanesque city in the US. yeah traffic is tough, but it is just about anywhere worth living. Reconsider isolating yourself in "whitesville", get out and enjoy what the city has to offer. It is definitely not what the media makes it out to be.
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Relocating To DC Area. I Need Help.
- Thread starter Mr.Blue
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IF you can leave by 5 or 5:30 a.m. at the latest, NoVA is a possibility, but you'll still have a bad commute in the afternoon. Otherwise, move close to work and deal with the MD gun laws. Don't even think about Prince William County. Franklin Farm is a decent place but way too far to commute to Bethesda unless you leave really early and don't mind lots of time to bond with your car. I strongly recommend coming to visit during the week and driving from anywhere you're considering to your workplace during rush hour before you decide. Traffic here is indeed the worst in the nation. If you live in MD, Cresap Rifle Club has a nice 100yd outdoor range out in Frederick that's open to the public on weekends- a bit of a drive, but an option. No one serious about firearms should consider DC.
mortablunt
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^ Actually, by my experience, you can be fine so long as you're out by six. That's not too hard, so long as you're in bed before early morning begins.
SpeedAKL
Member
Welcome to the area!
I live in McLean, VA and did the NoVa-to-Bethesda commute on a regular basis for six months while on a project that required me to be at a government client site. The commute takes a little under 30 minutes with low to moderate traffic but can approach 45-60 minutes if I-495 starts acting up. The Beltway from the I-270 interchange in MD to the I-66 interchange in VA is one of the most traffic bottlenecks in the entire US.
As a gun owner, Virginia is the way to go. Not only are the laws here friendlier than MD (never mind DC), you are also closer to more shooting ranges. There are several indoor ranges here, the best of which is the NRA Headquarters range in Fairfax. For outdoor ranges or to go past 50 yards, you'll need to either head a good ways south or west or else join a private club like the Izaak Walton League.
VA gun laws are straightforward. CCW is shall-issue, and no restrictions beyond those at Federal level are in place. There is no assault weapons ban nonsense here!
Gun issues aside, other advantaged IMHO to VA include lower taxes, slightly fewer nanny-state inclinations from local and state gov'ts, and a more competitive political climate (only matters if you lean conservative/GOP; DC and the MD suburbs are among the most liberal jurisdictions in the US). Montgomery County has some nice aspects though; communities like Bethesda, Rockville, and Potomac are all great places to live.
Real estate costs anywhere in the DC area are very high. You'll be somewhat prepared coming from the NYC area, though. Fairfax County in VA is pricey, as is Montgomery County in MD (Bethesda is part of MC). Anywhere inside the Beltway demands a major premium as well. Washington D.C. itself is downright brutal unless you live in rougher areas. Loudoun and Prince William Counties in VA are somewhat cheaper but I advise against buying there because your commute will be hell.
Your best bet location-wise IHMO would be McLean, Falls Church, or north Arlington (look at neighborhoods on or north of the Orange Line metro for easier commute). McLean has some of the highest-end real estate in America you head west or towards the Potomac, but more affordable homes can be found east of Rt.123. Falls Church is a bit more middle-class. Arlington has higher-end areas bordering McLean or backing up to the driver but becomes more middle-class on its western reaches bordering Falls Church. The built-up areas (Ballston, Clarendon, Rosslyn, etc.) are expensive but very nice if you are looking for a more urban feel.
Many stereotypes about the region are true: the traffic does suck, many people do exist in a political or socioeconomic bubble, and way too many people do come across as rude, elitist, materialistic, or self-absorbed. The pace of life here is definitely quicker than most of the country (though slower than NYC). Having said that, you can certainly enjoy living here if you find a good community of people and take advantage of the many things the area does have to offer.
I live in McLean, VA and did the NoVa-to-Bethesda commute on a regular basis for six months while on a project that required me to be at a government client site. The commute takes a little under 30 minutes with low to moderate traffic but can approach 45-60 minutes if I-495 starts acting up. The Beltway from the I-270 interchange in MD to the I-66 interchange in VA is one of the most traffic bottlenecks in the entire US.
As a gun owner, Virginia is the way to go. Not only are the laws here friendlier than MD (never mind DC), you are also closer to more shooting ranges. There are several indoor ranges here, the best of which is the NRA Headquarters range in Fairfax. For outdoor ranges or to go past 50 yards, you'll need to either head a good ways south or west or else join a private club like the Izaak Walton League.
VA gun laws are straightforward. CCW is shall-issue, and no restrictions beyond those at Federal level are in place. There is no assault weapons ban nonsense here!
Gun issues aside, other advantaged IMHO to VA include lower taxes, slightly fewer nanny-state inclinations from local and state gov'ts, and a more competitive political climate (only matters if you lean conservative/GOP; DC and the MD suburbs are among the most liberal jurisdictions in the US). Montgomery County has some nice aspects though; communities like Bethesda, Rockville, and Potomac are all great places to live.
Real estate costs anywhere in the DC area are very high. You'll be somewhat prepared coming from the NYC area, though. Fairfax County in VA is pricey, as is Montgomery County in MD (Bethesda is part of MC). Anywhere inside the Beltway demands a major premium as well. Washington D.C. itself is downright brutal unless you live in rougher areas. Loudoun and Prince William Counties in VA are somewhat cheaper but I advise against buying there because your commute will be hell.
Your best bet location-wise IHMO would be McLean, Falls Church, or north Arlington (look at neighborhoods on or north of the Orange Line metro for easier commute). McLean has some of the highest-end real estate in America you head west or towards the Potomac, but more affordable homes can be found east of Rt.123. Falls Church is a bit more middle-class. Arlington has higher-end areas bordering McLean or backing up to the driver but becomes more middle-class on its western reaches bordering Falls Church. The built-up areas (Ballston, Clarendon, Rosslyn, etc.) are expensive but very nice if you are looking for a more urban feel.
Many stereotypes about the region are true: the traffic does suck, many people do exist in a political or socioeconomic bubble, and way too many people do come across as rude, elitist, materialistic, or self-absorbed. The pace of life here is definitely quicker than most of the country (though slower than NYC). Having said that, you can certainly enjoy living here if you find a good community of people and take advantage of the many things the area does have to offer.
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You might want to consider the West Virginia eastern panhandle. The Brunswick line MARC train originates in Martinsburg & has a stop outside Charles Town (Duffields) and one in Harper's Ferry. I commuted on that line from our place in Summit Point, WV via Harpers Ferry to my office in downtown DC (1st & C NW) for 17 years before retiring. The train is a lot less stress than driving ... and WV is _very_ firearms friendly - no problems getting your CCW there! Probably lower housing costs as well.
Nick
Nick
SpeedAKL
Member
Northern VA and MD are some of the most diverse areas in the country. Huge immigrant populations from Asia and Latin America here; sizable communities from Africa and eastern Europe as well. DC has become almost exclusively a domain of 20-35-year-old yuppies unless you move to very high-rent neighborhoods like Georgetown, mostly-black inner city neighborhoods in Northeast/Southeast, or places like Columbia Heights, Capitol Hill, or U Street which are gradually becoming yuppie ghettos as well.DC is a great town with really fantastic public transportation. Probably the most Europeanesque city in the US. yeah traffic is tough, but it is just about anywhere worth living. Reconsider isolating yourself in "whitesville", get out and enjoy what the city has to offer. It is definitely not what the media makes it out to be.
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Seems like we have the gun questions (and quite a few others) answered. Please feel free to continue the real estate discussion via PM.
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