Relocating Made Easy-Everything you need Know

Typically when I get a call from someone relocating they want to know not only their options for housing but about everything from Commuting to Schools. It is hard to move to a new area and search only on line It helps to have an advocate who can learn what you are hoping to find and then show you your options.

I work the are between Quantico in Prince William County VA to Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia and everywhere in between. I have been serving the area for over 25 years and would be honored to help you find a new place to call home.

Below are the Typical Requests for Information.

Schools

I specialize in Woodbridge Virginia and here In Prince William County you will find a unique specialty program for Middle and High School Students. The program allows the  student and parent's flexibility in what school they might attend and transportation is provided. 

Click Here to Learn More.

I am sure you will agree this is a wonderful opportunity for the student to fulfill their passion for leaning and allow parents more flexibility in which neighborhood they choose to live in. If you have already determined a community but your not sure which school it services use Find My School 

Our school year runs from the day after Labor Day In September till mid June. Specialty programs have a long lead time for application so make sure to apply early.

Commuting Options-

Driving you own car may not be an option for you. The typical commute here in the Northern Virginia Region is sixty minutes door to door. The biggest thing you will learn about our traffic is an 8 mile commute could take an hour due to gridlock. So do not discount a home that is further out you may be surprised to learn you can get to work faster!

How do you feel about the word SLUG?

In Virginia enterprising commuters have deemed themselves SLUGS willingly and for good reason!  Slugging is what a person is called who catches a FREE ride daily  back and forth to work!  Sounds crazy and economical Sounds crazy I know but people love it!

 Read more here..

I just love the no talking part of slugging. Learn about Slug Etiquette here 

Using the train

Yes we have METRO but it is not as commuter friendly other large city public transportation as one would think. It does not service the outlying more affordable areas. So in this case many people relocating will look at how they can connect to the Metro via the Virginia Railway Express know as VRE. This is a commuter train  that runs from Fredericksburg South on 95 out to Mid County Prince William in Manassas. This allows people who may consider moving further out to the more affordable Newer Communities the option of using public transportation rather than driving. 

Then of course we have the Bus System for those who prefer this route or who work in an area where their destination requires a combination of two or more forms of transportation. My father in law rode the bus daily from Mount Vernon in Alexandria to the Pentagon daily.

PRTC Transortation

Commuter Bus Options

Home Types and Prices

Colonial Homes are the norm and you are going to love Virginia if you like the Colonial Style. If you are looking for something a little different a little digging you can find many different types of architecture. You just need to know where to look. That is where a Great Realtor comes in.

Contemporary while not real popular in this area are tucked away in some wonderful sought after neighborhoods that feature this type of home.

Arts and Craft- are the new rage and you will find New Home Builders doing them and also some wonder older homes that were built in the 1950's and 60's with this feel.

Ramblers - are all but non existent in this area. They are very rare and do not come on the market for sale very often. New Home Builders are starting to see the hand writing on the wall that as baby boomers age this type of home is going to be in demand. So if this is what you are looking for they are becoming more popular. I know where they are being built and would be happy to find you one!

Gated Communities - I get calls requesting this quite often and yet I can only think of four gated communities in all of Northern Virginia. They are just not popular or in demand in this area. They are available and I can help you find the right one for you.

Active Adult Communities - You will find several of these around the Northern Virginia area. Many have wonderful amenities and in great locations.

Golf Communities- We have more than our share of Golf Communities and some are better than others. Let's Talk and see if I can direct you to one that fits your budget.

Golf Enthusiast Communities

So many where do I start.... The newest one is Potomac shores signature golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus himself. It just opened to the public and my favorite comment from an avid golfer was. I feel like I just got done with a First Date and I want another One! I have taken a tour and it is magnificent! 

Potomac Shores Golf Course 5 Star for Sure!

River Falls 

Belmont Bay

Montclair

Forest Green

Water Front Homes- One thing about Virginia is that we have The Potomac River is the fourth largest river on the Atlantic Coast and we have communities that surround the  Occoquan Reservoir and Rapahannock River also on  the I-95 corridor. Boaters and  water lovers will have  plenty of options from High Rise Condo Living to Mulit Million Dollar Homes and everything in between. 

Water front Communities

Belmont bay

Potomac Shores

Southbridge

Lake Ridge

Occoquan 

Child Care Options

  In Woodridge Virignia you will find an abundance of options for child care since the community has many dual income households. You will find everything from the traditional chain day care center to the Church based co op and the military house wife next door.

Click here for more information

Shopping

 Prince William County is home to Potomac Mills which is no longer just a discount mall. It has become more popular site to visit when coming to their area than our national monuments!

Most locals long for a regional mall but in the last year or two we have been seeing more and more town centers opening. These are being received well by the community and I expect we will see many more in the future. The latest example of this is Stonebridge. In Woodbridge Virginia where you will find great stores,dining at places like Firebirds and Toby Keith's to name a few.

Fun Things to Do

So many wonderful places to see and any of them are FREE. I like free how about you?

Washington's Monument are must as well as the Newseum, The Zoo and The White House.

You can enjoy a walk along the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria a charming historic town with it's narrow streets and charming boutiques and restaurants. On any given weekend night you will hear and see street entertainers and enjoy people watching at it finest. For a fee you can board one of the several boat cruises that will take you to see the DC Monuments and sights by water or sail down to George Washington's Home in Mount Vernon.

Bike rides love the GW parkway bike path that goes from Mount Vernon to DC and beyond along the Potomac River

 Now Look at Prince William County Housing Market

April 2014 Real Estate Market Statistics for

Prince William County, VA

Detailed Report

The Northern Virginia Market is in a seller's market with low inventory and homes selling for 97% of list price. The inventory in some price points is very low so please make sure you start you househunt early or arrange for a short term stay with family. Short Term Rentals if you can find one are EXPENSIVE!

Typical time for a home loan to close once you have a contract is 30 days unless you are working with one of the Credit Unions such as USAA or Navy Fed
then plan on 45+ days. 

Potomac Shores is the newest and features waterfront town center, VRE, 5 Star Hotel, largest marina in V Virginia, two Schools,premier Golf Course, Unique Home reminiscent of the Tidewater  areas, commercial complex prices start in then In the mid 500's.

Lake Ridge is an Older community that is called home by 40,000+ residents by many with who enjoy  neighborhood schools, pools and community centers. Dining and Shopping. This community offers homes built in the late 1970's through 1990's. You will not find any new  hoes in the community.You can find condos starting in low 100's up to million dollar  homes in River falls a premier luxury community selling from the 500's.

Montclair is located near Dumfries Va and is a reverse commute to Quantico it is a golf club community with its own private lake with community beach. Homes here start in the 200's for town homes and 350's for single family homes. You will find a nice mix of colonial, split levels, Victorian and contemporary homes some backing to the waterfront and others to the golf course

 Dale City this is a community that is almost build out and has offers affordable homes from $300-600,000. Many were built in the 1970's and later.

We have many smaller subdvisions all throughout the connty offering everything from 1/4 acre to 1 acre home sites.

Got Questions just contact me now and let's talk....