Forbes Magazine has come out with its list of the 25 Richest Counties. Loudoun County in Virginia tops the list. Fairfax County is 2nd.
You are probably wondering why this would be a good thing--after all, don't higher incomes result in higher housing prices? Yes, undoubtedly they do, but they also result in a more stable economy, more services and better public schools. Our real estate bubble was later than many other areas and our recovery is reported to have begun sooner.
Our unemployment rate has consistently been lower than that of many other major metropolitan areas. The Bureau of Labor Statistic reported in February 2010 that, 'The large areas with the lowest jobless rates in December were Oklahoma City, Okla., and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va., 6.0 and 6.2 percent, respectively.' This is due in large part to the stable employment offered by the government and the network of companies and organizations that work to support the government.
Understanding the cost of living concerns, Washington area jobs often come with a cost of living income differential to make the move more attractive.
If you have children who are moving up the education ladder toward college, you would be hard pressed to find better college values than those offered by the Virginia higher education system. Look at the costs for in-state tuition and then look at how highly regarded the public universities in the state are compared to other state schools.
The public school systems in and around the D.C. Metro area consistently rank in the highest in the Nation. I think if you look you will find, too, that many of the local high schools are among the best in the country.
Beyond the financial and educational considerations, we have access to some of the best cultural opportunities in the country. A non-rush hour trip in to the District of Columbia is a 20 minute drive. My family has a White House Tour scheduled in a couple of weeks, my husband and I went to a book launch party last week at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Women in the Arts. Yesterday I took my son in to Georgetown for some lacrosse coaching. We love to get downtown to either the Kennedy Center, The National Theater, The Warner Theater or one of the other numerous venues for theater troops or musical organizations. How could I have left off my favorite venue of all? Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts which is in Virginia and literally 10 minutes from my house. It offers a wide variety of shows, musical acts and performances.
For those who have more of a sports leaning, we have The NFL Redskins,The NHL Capitals, and The Nationals baseball team. In close-by Baltimore, you can add The Orioles Baseball team and The NFL Ravens to the list. Nearby college level sports teams inlude: George Mason, Georgetown, University of Maryland, George Washington, Howard, Catholic and within 2 hours you can add University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and James Madison University. Just 4 hours away, you can cheer for the Virginia Tech Hokies or the Penn State Nittney Lions (forgive me if I left out someones favorite team...feel free to add it in the comments).
If you are considering a new job or a relocation, give the Washington D.C. metro area a close look. I think you will find that the stable economy, wide variety of housing choices , the public education system and the wide variety of arts and activities, will make it worth your extra attention.
Please give me a call, or drop me an email, if I can help you begin your home search process. I would be happy to set you up with some tools that will allow you to begin your new home search from the comfort of your living room.
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