Hello Everyone,
Getting ready to retire from my reserve unit and am contemplating a move to Northern VA this summer.
It's tough to get a feel for the area from the internet, but we are looking in Loudoun County.... Ashburn, Aldie, maybe down towards Haymarket. Have 3 kids in elementary school so a good school system is our priority.
Can anyone familiar with the area suggest some neighborhoods to check out? More importantly, any areas to avoid?
Thanks.

 

We moved to Leesburg about 6 months ago. Great schools, nice small historic downtown area, lots of breweries and wineries close by and 15-20 min drive to the employee lot. We were in Haymarket before, 66 is a nightmare...avoid it like the plague


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What airport are you going to be based out of? If you have to cover IAD and DCA a lot then look at Restin and west near the silver line metro build out. Otherwise live west of IAD, it's spendy but pretty and great schools/communities.

 

I'd be looking somewhere West of IAD.

 

I have lived in Ashburn and retired a few years back from USAF (Pentagon)… live about 15 minutes from the employee lot. Feel free to PM me your details and I'll give you a call back. Bottom line is there are a lot of neighborhood and towns to choose from… really depends on what type of home, how big a lot, how much you willing to pay, how far a drive, etc. Most areas in Ashburn are pretty safe bets… around Leesburg the neighborhoods go from really nice to a slum within miles. I'd stay away from the Sterling/Dulles mall area… big picture I'd stay west of Hwy 28.

 

^^^ what he said. Can't go wrong staying west of Rte 28.

Other than the cost of living, it's an outstanding place to raise a family. Tons of biking trails, easy 40min trip to DC and west to the Appalachian Trail/Blue Ridge mins. If you want to settle there, now is the time...the Silver Line will open its westernmost station there in a couple years, called Loudoun Station - I'd be willing to bet that will cause house prices to rise.

You mentioned schools: Schools are awesome... Briar Woods High School ranked top ten in VA and in the low/mid 100s nationwide. Elementary and middle schools also very well run.

Ashburn is kind of divided into different sections, the main ones being Ashburn Village, Ashburn Farm, Broadlands, and Brambleton. Ashburn Village is one of the first established neighborhoods here and has seen its heyday - I'd look there last. Brambleton is the newest development and where most folks find the best deals. Broadlands and Ashburn Farm are also very nice and well established.

Like I said, you gotta pay some extra $$$ to settle there but well worth it IMHO. Townhouses are nice but plenty of families really want extra space and splurge for a single family home. Those run in the 600-700s around here. Town houses are in the 300-400 range. The further west you go, the cheaper it gets. Many folks moving west towards Purcellville, and south towards Aldie, for slightly cheaper real estate.

About a 40min drive to DCA, 12mins to IAD, and 1:10 to BWI.

Good luck and please PM me with any questions if u want.

 

How about anything to the southwest? My wife might be working in the Springfield area...

 

Given that, I'd suggest looking around the Ft. Hunt/Mt. Vernon area-about eight miles due south of DCA, between Rt. 1 and the Potomac River. Easy commute to DCA and Springfield; under an hour to IAD in an almost reverse commute.

 

Alexandria, Burke, Springfield, Lorton. You can stare the metro at Springfield and metro into DCA and in 2018 out to IAD.

 

I agree with this, however if you have children, the Alexandria Schools are not the best. Living in Springfield area provides easy commute to both IAD and DCA. Metro access in Springfield will deliver you DCA now and IAD soon (2018). Fairfax County schools are rated very highly. PM me if you have any questions.