The cost of living in the DC Metro area is outrageous. There, I said it. Please don’t take away my real estate license.
The prices of both buying and renting are extremely high around here, couple that with our insanely long commute times, and you’re faced with a pretty tough dilemma: do you buy the dream house farther out and have a longer commute, or do you buy the smaller house and have a shorter commute?
One of the great things about most of the towns in Northern Virginia is that they’re part of PUDs (Planned Urban Developments). That means that there’s usually a “downtown” area with restaurants, shopping, etc. Things like Reston Town Center, Clarendon Commons, Downtown Vienna (Maple Ave), etc. So even if you find yourself in the ‘Burbs, you’re still close to things that will get you out of the house.
When evaluating your purchasing power, most of you know that $500,000 will buy you a lot more house in Falls Church, Vienna or Reston than it will in Arlington or McLean. What kind of lifestyle do you want? Are you the type that goes out every night with friends? Do you prefer to spend your weekends walking around town or sitting outside? How much does your commute matter? There are so many things to consider!
Want to talk it through or find out what your options are? Email or call me anytime!