Relo to Manassas, VA- Rent or Buy? (1 Viewer)

[Todd Hochard]

Thanks to everyone for their input.

After much wringing of hands, and gnashing of teeth, I have decided to decline the offer.

We've decided Orlando is, has been, and will continue to be our home. Certainly not the best place to live, but certainly not the worst.

So, wish me luck in figuring out a new career next year.

 

[Michael Caicedo]

Good for you Todd. Glad to keep another HTF member. I didn't want to jump in before, as it seemed you were heading in that direction anyway. We have it pretty good around here. I work in IT and keep thinking one day this might be a dilemma for me also. As a local talk show hosts says: "I'd rather throw sod" for a living than leave.

 

[Todd Hochard]

It may come to that.

 

[Jimi C]

what friggen crap. Wanna see what you can get for 500k in my area? Scratch that.. the most expensive house currently showing in the area on realtor.com is 324,000.





$324,900
5 Bed, 3.5 Bath
4,098 Sq. Ft.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Jimi,
Around here you are looking at about $3,000,000.

 

[Scott_Sch]

Couldn't help but jump into this discussion. I live in Syracuse, NY and its basically the same situation. The most expensive houses are around $300k to $400k. My parents live on Long Island, NY and whenever they come up here they are amazed at what they could buy up here if they sold their home (3br, 1 1/2b, ranch...should appraise for around $450k to $500k). Granted they bought it in the sixties for $35k so I'm sure they aren't too upset. My problem is that although the cost of living up here is cheap as hell...I just have no desire to deal with the weather anymore (major frost and 25 degrees this morning) and have actually started looking at northwestern Virginia...around Front Royal and Strasburg (just south of Winchester). I would love to be closer to Fairfax county, but this thread is proof of what your looking at around there. Anybody have a feel for what the Winchester and Strasburg/Front Royal area will be doing real estate wise within the next two years?...I've looked into Winchester fairly extensively and you can see that the N. Virginia boom is slowly spreading out there as well, but just a little further south does not seem to be impacted just yet.

I'm an engineer by the way (environmental) and with all the growth down in VA I'm assuming a job relocation would not be too difficult (increased infrastructure needs, water, wastewater, etc...).

 

[Philip Hamm]

Those areas are right there in the crazy zone. Check www.homesdatabase.com.

 

[Todd Hochard]

I've just been asked by the company President, Service Director and Sales Director to reconsider (they ganged up on me). And, been given good reason to reconsider.

Uh-oh.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

So how many $$$$$ is "good reason"?

 

[LDfan]

Todd, Welcome to Northern Va

I grew up in Prince William county and now live one county North (Fairfax) so I know the area very well. If you need to talk with a realtor send me a PM or email and I'll get you his contact info. He's a friend of mine and will spend a lot of time with you looking at the best options.

Jeff

 

[Philip Hamm]

Todd,

It's really a beautiful place to live, and the schools are first rate.

 

[Todd Hochard]

It was put to me something like this-

"You own a home in FL, and if you need that option in VA to be comfortable, then research the market, and tell us where you need to be to purchase it."

Philip- that homesdatabase website is MUCH more comprehensive. Thanks!!

 

[Drue Elrick]

Wow. Kudos to you. You're in a position of power. =)

You can still say no, but now you've got'em over a barrel. =)

 

[Todd Hochard]

Thought I'd drag this up-

It looks like I'm getting the offer I "need" to build a life for my family in Northern VA.

It's still a tough decision, though- my daughter, who's only 3, is getting more involved with her friends and preschool. My wife is getting more and more freelance advertising work in Orlando. And, of course, we'd be leaving the home that we bought together, 11 years ago, got married in (literally, the back yard ), and had our children in. Lots of sentimental value, to be sure. The downside is that we are starting to bust at the seams in the house now (1500 sq ft- how 4 people accumulate so much crap- well, I do know, actually, I just prefer not to dwell on it... ), so we were considering a local move, anyway. Job prospects in Orlando aren't really that great, though, so hence the alternative.

I'm off to look at a few more homes tomorrow (back in Manassas again this week), and considering putting down an offer by the end of the week. Then, it'll be a whirlwind of closing on two homes, loading up the moving truck, and beginning again. Oh, and Christmas in there somewhere.

I thought I'd bring up the school thing. I haven't spoken to one single person who has had anything bad to say about the schools here. That is in direct contrast to FL, for sure.

We've narrowed our home search to the Linton Hall Road area, perhaps Gainesville, and perhaps a little further down Rt 29 toward Warrenton. Can the same good things be said for the Fauquier County schools surrounding Warrenton, as well?